Greater consistency needed from Scorpion bowlers: Samuels

Derval Green was the only Scorpions bowler who impressed in last year’s Regional Four-Day Competition

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Head coach of the Jamaica Scorpions Robert Samuels believes his team can deliver a much better showing in this year’s Regional Four-Day Competition, once his fast bowlers deliver more consistent performances. The Scorpions, who placed fourth in last year’s competition will play their first match against Barbados at Kensington Oval on December 13. Samuels said with the exception of Derval Green, who took 27 wickets in the last tournament, none of the other fast bowlers bowled well.

“Last season we fell short in the fast bowling department. Only one bowler got 27 wickets and no other bowler got more than five, so that department is very concerning and it is something that we are looking at and are trying to fix before the start of the new season. We need to fix our fast bowling as we need our bowlers to step up and get more wickets,” Samuels told The Gleaner.

“Out of season we have been working with our fast bowlers, so hopefully this time they will have more knowledge and be more skillful. But if we can get another fast bowler getting 25 wickets, we will finish up the standings.

“So the main concern is the fast bowling department, which was a little wobbly, but with the work we have been doing out of season with them, we expect them to get better,” he added.

Samuels too criticised his batsmen for their approach in the 2017 competition, but said he was also expecting a better performance from them this time around.

“The batting has been a little inconsistent. We are getting high scores, but we are also getting very low scores, especially in the first innings.

“If we can get 150 to 200 for the first inning, we will be in this competition, so I am hoping the batting will be more consistent… the head coach said.